Posted on 07/03/2009 5:24:46 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The news of Sarah Palin’s resignation as governor came during my show this afternoon, where we spent most of an hour discussing it with the chatizens and my co-host Duane Patterson. I’ve had a chance to watch the video of her announcement and read through dozens of Twitter messages back and forth attempting to rationalize this, and still, it simply can’t be rationalized on the basis of what Palin said today. It’s easily the most bizarre resignation I’ve seen, and just about senseless.
The lame-duck explanation was the most incoherent part of the entire statement:
“Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional ‘Lame Duck’ status in this particular climate would just be another dose of ‘politics as usual,’ something I campaigned against and will always oppose. It is my duty to always protect our great state. With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, so that this administration, with its positive agenda, its accomplishments and its successful road to an incredible future, can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success.”
Bear in mind that the election isn’t next month but about 16 months from now, in November 2010. Using this logic, Palin should never have run for the first term unless she was willing to run for the second, and not run for either if she wasn’t willing (or legally able) to run for a third. Politicians don’t enter lame-duck status until their successor has already been elected and they’re running out the rest of the term. And all politicians become lame ducks at some point — and none of them quit just to avoid it.
Also, how can Palin quit because she didn’t want to deal with being a lame duck and claim in the same breath that her administration would “continue without interruption”? She just interrupted it! If she thinks that being a “lame duck” would hamper her ability to push her agenda in the state’s capital, how does she think that an unelected Sean Parnell is going to get it done?
If it’s her duty to always “protect” Alaska, then that strongly implies not walking away from the responsibility of governing it — a responsibility she sought, and with which her constituents trusted her to execute. No one leads by quitting. No one leads by quitting. Palin’s abandoning her post, and at least from her own description, doing it because she doesn’t want to deal with the issues of being a “lame duck,” a status all politicians have to handle at some point.
I’ve seen a myriad of excuses on Twitter and e-mail for this bizarre resignation: her legal bills are too high, she’s putting her family first, she doesn’t want to distract Alaskans because of cheap-shot ethics complaints that are distracting everyone. None of those make any sense. If the spotlight was too much, then she shouldn’t have run for office in the first place. If she’s quitting because people are taking potshots at her, then she’s not the kind of political fighter we thought she was. The legal bills might be a rational reason, but thoroughly insufficient for betraying the people who put her in charge of Alaska — and her memoirs would have paid for her legal bills many times over, had she completed her term.
There’s really no excuse, and what Rich Lowry also calls her “terrible,” “rambling,” and “not at all persuasive” statement showed that. Unless there was a serious illness or a serious scandal, the resignation on the grounds Palin gave is simply incomprehensible. She has destroyed her own credibiity in a single day.
I liked Sarah Palin and supported her inclusion on the GOP ticket last fall. I thought she had more toughness than this. It’s a big disappointment, and it’s the end of any hope of Palin getting taken seriously as a politician on the national level in the future.
Update (AP): I was going to tuck this into one of my own posts but it fits better here. Quin Hillyer, senior editor at the Spectator, calls the resignation an “appalling dereliction of duty.”
What Sarah Palin did today was get out before the real challenges of the job (whatever challenges there are for such an easy job) really rear their heads. The going got tough in terms of spurious ethics charges against her, and she took off. That’s cowardly. That’s not sign of staying power. It’s a sign of wanting to get out while the getting is good, in order to become a full-time candidate for a presidential race that won’t culminate for 3 1/2 more years. It’s a little too calculating, by half — or more.
I just listened to her speech announcing her decision, and found it singularly unimpressive. “This was a rambling, bombastic, self-centered, ‘poor me’ kind of speech.” That’s how Mike Carey of the Anchorage Daily News just described her speech on Fox News. I agree. He then said it was, darn, I already can’t remember if he said it was “pitiful” or “pathetic,” but it was some word like that. Again, I agree. It was a speech in which she clearly made a bit for a national audience — not a very effective bid, but a transparent one — but didn’t adequately explain to the people of Alaska why she was relinquishing her duty…
Statesmen hang tough. Sarah Palin is cutting and running. ‘Nuff said.
“Governor C.L. Otter. With a running mate of either Huck or Romney. How do you like me now?”
I didn’t realize you were running or looking for affirmation.
“Wrong, had she stayed governor she would have been too busy fighting ethics charges to investigate running for president. By resigning she started up her national political career. She will be the force to deal with in the GOP.”
“She can now go around and raise money for GOP candidates all over the country. Look for her at fund raiser near you soon.”
Very well said. Sarah now will be able to say exactly what she means and won’t have to worry about those frivolous ethics complaints that have done nothing but waste money and have all ended exonerating her. Go Sarah, Go. We will be looking for every which way possible to support you.
I am not doing either.
We are thinking of replacing a gas fireplace with a wood burning fireplace. The savings will not justify the cost, but we don’t care. We have so much wood that is going to waste. We have tried to give it away to a needy family the past two years and never found any takers.
WA state tried to pass a law last year, making it illegal to use wood as your primary source of heat. They wanted homeowners to prove that they had another source to provide 80% of the heat. It didn’t pass because it was unenforceable.
This is the most rational interpretation of this bizarre episode I’ve read yet.
And the cult-of-personaltiy Palinites (which, by the way, I almost was until today), remind me of the Bushbots who excused every one of Bush’s actions as part of some grand “strategery.”
Been reading around the ‘net, and there may be bad news coming. :(
The Clintons had support from their party, which I'm sure opened *plenty* of doors for financial support. Palin's support was from cash-strapped conservatives who have to count every dollar.
I know I'm one of those conservatives who is now very much ashamed of himself, and I most certainly will now be donating what I can to her legal defense fund.
Been reading around the ‘net, and there may be bad news coming. :(
—besides don’t really know how resigning wou ld spare her from scrutiny, but I could be wrong. Seems press will go after her regardless.
She beat 15 ethics violations, so if something is coming, I am hopeful that she can beat it.
“Now of course, many Freepers are blindly screaming that this was a great idea, and that anybody who thinks otherwise is a RINO traitor. But none of them called for her to resign on Thursday.”
I think you are entirely missing the point. There is a huge difference between having or being forced to resign and resigning for other reasons. You can see that I hope.
And what the hell is with this crap saying we FReepers who support Gov. Palin......in your words are “blindly screaming” that this was a good move.?
Lets all get out in mass tomorrow for our 4th of July Tea Parties.
It seems a lot of people thought it was a slam dunk that SP wanted to run for President in 2012, which I think is quite an assumption.
I will admit I saw her as the most likeable possibility (until today), but we should possibility here.
Maybe, just maybe, she doesn’t WANT to be President. Did any of us ever think of that?
“Yay for Sarah.
Who the hell is Ed Morrissey?”
Who cares?
What if she doesn’t want to run?
well for someone whose political career is over, they sure are talking a lot about her. LOL
Some people wrote Reagan off too after his first attempt at the presidency.
History doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes.
Her eyes say" "don't you eat that Leroy!" But we shall see...
Yes, there is one inescapable fact. No matter how justified and highminder her reasons for throwing in the towel and quitting, she betrayed not only those who voted for her, but those who worked hard to campaign for her, and those who financed her.
You don’t lead by quitting.
And this still stinks to high heavens.
Coming from HOT AIR that is exactly what this hit piece is all about.
I can see the scenario of a Sarah Palin and Matt Blunt ticket, both very successful one term governors, being a GOP success of Reagan proportions.
I think Sarah is Pissed at the left wingers and pundits to do the unconventional thing and stay in the spotlight. As long as the left wingers keep attacking her, she will gain momentum with conservatives who are sick and tired of the vile, inhuman left wing attack machine.
She will come out of the box in 2012 fully armed and with backup. The left wing weenies are scared of a woman who can field dress an elk and shoot from the hip.
> Maybe, just maybe, she doesn’t WANT to be President. Did any of us ever think of that?
Sarah Palin is a wonderful human being and a truly Great American. God bless her and her family: they have given much to a wonderful Nation.
Fortunately for the United States, there are plenty more where she came from. This time last year nobody had heard much of Sarah Palin. If she is pulling out of the fight (as it is her right to do) then another will join her place. We may not know who he or she is just yet — but we will, soon enough.
That is one of the great things about America. It’s the “Sarah Factor”. There are lots and lots of quiet patriots out there, and you don’t notice them until you need them and then suddenly BOOM! There they are.
And on this Independence Day 2009
God Bless America!
*DieHard the Hunter*
Sarah is a LEADER. She is on the Offensive.
Give her time and she'll explain why/how she stepped from one path to get on the fast track.
Trust me when I tell you that Captain Ed is anything but a RINO. Visit his website an see for yourself. Listen to his radio show and hear for yourself.
You may not agree with Captain Ed’s take on Palin’s resignation - but he’s far from a RINO.
The comparison to Nixon and Reagan in this regard, is a stretch, at best. Nixon had served two complete terms as Eisenhower's VP as well as partial terms as Senator and Congressman, only leaving those positions when he was elected to something else. He didn't resign in the middle of his obligation; the people who elected him to one office, promoted him to another.
Secondly, Reagan went on his long "listening" tour after he completed two terms of Governor for the largest state in the union. Reagan and Nixon both were incredibly experienced and had established themselves over an extraordinary period of time - Nixon almost 30 years in public service, and Reagan over 8 in elected office, but much longer in politics generally.
As it stands, Sarah Palin has less than two and a half years of experience in state-wide office, and no experience in DC elective or appointed office. That's a very, very thin resume.
Up until 3:00 est today, I was a very big Palin fan. I thought she'd finish this term and then perhaps move to something outside of government in preparation of a 2012 run. But, I can see absolutely no upside to the course of action she's taken here. It's very troubling.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.